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When the staffers at Desert Sun Tanning Salons say they can fix your problems with a cocktail, they?re not talking about libations. Instead, they?re referring to a method that combines two types of bronzing styles. After lying in a traditional sunbed, patrons pop into an automatic spray-tanning booth. The idea is that the UV rays in the bed trigger melanin production and open the pores so that the spray tan goes on darker and lasts longer. Of course, customers can indulge in either of these options separately, choosing from a fleet of machinery that includes Mystic Tan and VersaSpa sunless tanning booths and silver-, gold-, and platinum-level sunbeds.
They can also undergo a session that doesn?t change the skin?s tone, but, rather, tones it. Red-light therapy drenches the skin in fluorescent light that boosts collagen production in order to firm skin, tighten muscles, and transform sagging bloomers into boxer briefs. Regular salon visitors can consider purchasing a membership, which entitles them to tanning-bed upgrades and discounts on skincare products.

Each of Seattle Sun Tan's 39 locations spans between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet of space dedicated solely to the art of un-sunbathing. Washington-state tanners strut down immaculate hallways dotted with framed original paintings and contemporary artwork before settling into private rooms where they may acquire their desired shade while enjoying the sounds of their own music or prerecorded subliminal messages piped in through the iPod dock perched near each bed. The Smart Tan?certified staff guides clients in selecting which of the five levels of UV bed best fits their tanning needs and whether they desire a short tan time, prefer to stand up or lie down, or wish to bask beneath high-pressure face lamps. Shop shelves offer home tanners quality products from Australian Gold and Swedish Beauty, whereas spray-tanning options from VersaSpa and SunFX both impart a natural-looking faux glow that takes mere minutes to apply and lasts for days.

Whether it's building a base tan for a tropical vacation or getting the ideal glow for a special occasion, the staff of Planet Bronze Tanning help tailor visits by ushering clients toward the appropriate services. Beyond the modest storefront, private rooms house UV beds in a variety of levels, equipped with UVA/UVB bulbs that bronze skin in as little as 12 minutes. Planet Bronze also offers sunless-tanning products. Its professional custom airbrush sessions swathe skin in a gentle solution that transforms into a deep tan that lasts up to 10 days with proper avoidance of human car washes.

If you're a newcomer to Maui Tan, rest easy?this ultra-clean salon in Renton has an experienced staff ready to guide you through every step of the tanning experience. With eight tanning beds and a Magic Tan spray-tanning system, there's no shortage of ways to achieve perfectly bronzed skin. The salon also stocks a full range of lotions and products designed to keep skin golden for as long as possible.

If you hang around outside Distinctive Tan, you might notice a trend: everyone leaving the building has great-looking skin. At both locations, clients can get a custom bronze in either a UV tanning bed?of which the facilities offer a diverse array?or within Mystic Tan airbrush booths. But tanning isn't the only focus of the salons, which have been in business for more than 20 years. Their knowledgeable, Smart Tan?certified staff also supplies WhiteICE teeth-whitening kits and administers red-light therapy, a treatment designed to firm skin and minimize wrinkles wrought by age or time spent trying to impersonate an accordion.

The sun?s rays can give the skin a golden glow, but it can take hours for anyone who doesn't live on the beach. Cactus Club Tanning Salon speeds up the star?s effects by bronzing the skin with UV light and airbrush tans. The high-pressure Magic 636?bed, for instance, imparts the equivalent of eight hours of sun in 12 minutes without the risk of burns, whereas the Diva Stand-Up tanner gives skin a golden glow in just 9 minutes. And since the sun tends to hibernate during the winter, tanning beds can also help chase away cloudy doldrums with their UV light.